The provisional squad has been announced:

Goalkeepers: Robinson (Tottenham), James (Manchester City), Green (Norwich).

Defenders: G Neville (Manchester United), R Ferdinand (Manchester United), Terry (Chelsea), A Cole (Arsenal), Campbell (Arsenal), Carragher (Liverpool), Bridge (Chelsea).

Midfielders: Beckham (Real Madrid), Carrick (Tottenham), Lampard (Chelsea), Gerrard (Liverpool), Hargreaves (Bayern Munich), Jenas (Totenham), Downing (Middlesbrough), J Cole (Chelsea), Lennon (Tottenham).

Forwards: Rooney (Manchester United), Owen (Newcastle), Crouch (Liverpool), Walcott (Arsenal).

Reserves: Scott Carson (Liverpool), Luke Young (Charlton), Nigel Reo-Coker (West Ham), Jermain Defoe (Tottenham), Andy Johnson (Crystal Palace).

Sven sent shockwaves through the international footballing community when he announced his final England squad, by naming two uncapped players, one medical casualty and a player who hasn’t played full ninety minutes all year.

With the wealth of defending talent at his disposal Sven could have left Sol ‘slightly unstable’ Campbell at home and taken Michael Dawson whose solid season at the back for Tottenham has helped them to achieving European football through the league for the first time in over twenty years. Injured Ledley King will be watching the world cup from the comfort of his armchair or a warm studio, after being a revelation in Portugal two years ago.

Shaun Wright-Philips is the most expensive casualty of the squad, the lack of playing opportunity since his big money move to Chelsea last summer appears to have cost him a trip to Germany this summer. Sven may choose to play a five man midfield using Downing and Lennon on the wings, with Gerrard or Cole playing infront of Lampard and Beckham and behind a nearly fit Michael Owen. Downing has helped propel Boro to the UEFA cup final and probably deserves his place. Lennon has thrilled those who have watched him and terrorised those who have been unfortunate enough to mark him. Jenas is the surprise as he has not been a regular for Spurs although has scored some cruicial goals.

Englands goalscoring hopes have been pinned on the ability of the medical staff treating Rooney and Owen, a striker who managed only six league goals this campaign and a kid who has yet to play a game in the premiership. Defoe and Johnson are on the reserves and if Rooney can’t make it only one of them will go and neither have been a massive success on the international scene. Darren Bent must be inconsolable that he never even made the reserve list having scored nineteen premiership goals this season.

As usual the team will probably pick itself (or should that be themselves) but the squad was not as we expected. I guess like the newcomers we should strap ourselves in and enjoy Ericsson’s final hurrah.